System including a floor vacuum cleaner and a hand-held vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A system includes a floor vacuum cleaner and a hand-held vacuum cleaner. The floor vacuum cleaner has an interface configured to be coupled with the hand-held vacuum cleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system including a floor vacuumcleaner and a hand-held vacuum cleaner.

2. Description of the Related Art

Floor vacuum cleaners and, separate from the floor vacuum cleaner, ahand-held vacuum cleaner are already known.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system is provided which includes a floor vacuum cleaner and ahand-held vacuum cleaner, the floor vacuum cleaner having an interfacefor coupling with the hand-held vacuum cleaner. A “floor vacuum cleaner”in particular means a vacuum cleaner which at least essentially supportsits weight on a floor during a vacuuming operation. The floor vacuumcleaner preferably has at least one roller, which supports the weight ofthe floor vacuum cleaner on the floor in at least one operating state.In particular, the floor vacuum cleaner has a weight of more than 5 kg.A “hand-held vacuum cleaner” in particular means a vacuum cleaner whichis designed to have its weight supported essentially by the hand of anoperator who is guiding the vacuum cleaner while vacuuming. Thehand-held vacuum cleaner advantageously includes a handle, with whoseaid the operator carries the floor vacuum cleaner during a vacuumingoperation. In particular, the floor vacuum cleaner has a weight of morethan 5 kg. “Essentially” in this case refers to more than 50% of theweight. The floor vacuum cleaner and the hand-held vacuum cleanerpreferably are able to be used separately of each other for vacuuming.An “interface” in particular is a region of the floor vacuum cleanerwhich has a shape that is adapted to a shape of the hand-held vacuumcleaner. The interface preferably is provided to fixate the hand-heldvacuum cleaner in integral fashion in directions that deviate from aremoval direction. Preferably, the interface is provided to lock thehand-held vacuum cleaner into place. “Provided” in particular is to beunderstood as specially programmed, designed and/or equipped. “Coupling”in particular means that the floor vacuum cleaner fixates the hand-heldvacuum cleaner in at least one operating state. As a result of thedevelopment of the system according to the present invention, the twovacuum cleaners, which may be used for different purposes, areadvantageously able to be carried together. For tasks where little dirtis encountered, for example, the floor vacuum cleaner may remain in thecarriage.

In one further development, the interface is provided to transmitoperating energy to the hand-held vacuum cleaner, so that an especiallypractical energy supply of the hand-held vacuum cleaner is able to beprovided. The hand-held vacuum cleaner in particular is rechargedautomatically once the floor vacuum cleaner is connected to an energysource. “Operating energy” in particular is energy that produces an airflow (in this case, by the hand-held vacuum cleaner) during a vacuumingoperation. The term “transmit” is to convey that the floor vacuumcleaner outputs the operating energy and the hand-held vacuum cleanerreceives the operating energy.

In addition, the interface includes an energy-transmission coil which isprovided to transmit the operating energy to the hand-held vacuumcleaner in inductive manner, thereby advantageously protecting an energysupply of the hand-held vacuum cleaner from dust and moistureencountered on a building site, in particular. An “energy-transmissioncoil” in particular is a coil having at least one electrical conductor,in particular a coiled conductor, which transmits an operating energybetween the floor vacuum cleaner and the hand-held vacuum cleaner in atleast one operating state. As an alternative, the energy-transmissioncoil could be formed by a circuit track situated on a circuit board.Preferably, the energy-transmission coil is provided to transform anelectrical alternating current into a magnetic alternating field and/orthe other way around. The term “inductive transmission” in particularmeans that the energy-transmission coil transmits the operating energyto the hand-held vacuum cleaner by means of the magnetic alternatingfield.

Furthermore, it is provided that the floor vacuum cleaner includes anenergy input for receiving energy, thereby advantageously making itpossible to supply the floor vacuum cleaner and, in particular, thehand-held vacuum cleaner with energy. An “energy input” in particular isan interface via which at least one operating energy for the floorvacuum cleaner, and advantageously one operating energy for thehand-held vacuum cleaner is received. Preferably, the energy input isdesigned to be connected to a current network, in particular supplying100 Volt to 240 Volt, and/or an alternating voltage. As an alternativeor in addition, the energy input may be used to receive the operatingenergy from a motor vehicle, in particular 12 Volt and/or 24 Volt.

Moreover, the floor vacuum cleaner is provided to suction fluid, whichadvantageously makes it possible to use the vacuum cleaner on buildingsites. “Provided to suction fluid” specifically means that the floorvacuum cleaner is designed in such a way that it is able to aspiratefluid without being damaged in the process.

Moreover, it is provided that the hand-held vacuum cleaner includes anenergy-transmission coil, which is designed to receive an operatingenergy inductively, and thereby advantageously protects the operatingenergy transmission from contamination and moisture. The term“inductively received” specifically means that the energy-transmissioncoil of the hand-held vacuum cleaner receives the operating energy fromthe floor vacuum cleaner by means of the magnetic alternating field.

In one advantageous development of the present invention, the hand-heldvacuum cleaner has an interface designed in such a way that an operatormay couple it with an energy store of the hand-held vacuum cleaner inremovable manner, which advantageously makes the energy storeexchangeable. The interface of the hand-held vacuum cleaner preferablyis situated on a housing of the hand-held vacuum cleaner. “Detachable byan operator” in particular means that the operator is able to remove theenergy store from the remaining hand-held vacuum cleaner withoutdestroying it. In particular, the interface is designed to couple theenergy store in detachable manner without using tools. An “energy store”in particular means an energy store that appears meaningful to oneskilled in the art, but preferably refers to a rechargeable battery.

Furthermore, it is provided that the energy store of the hand-heldvacuum cleaner includes the energy-transmission coil, so thatadvantageous charging of the energy store is possible separately fromthe hand-held vacuum cleaner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a system according to the present invention, including afloor vacuum cleaner, a hand-held vacuum cleaner and a tool box, in aside view.

FIG. 2 shows the floor vacuum cleaner and the hand-held vacuum cleaner,situated apart from the floor vacuum cleaner, of the system from FIG. 1,in a perspective representation.

FIG. 3 shows the floor vacuum cleaner and the hand-held vacuum cleanerof the system from FIG. 1, in a plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a system 10 having a floor vacuum cleaner 12, a hand-heldvacuum cleaner 14, and a tool box 30. Floor vacuum cleaner 12 isdeveloped as a building site vacuum cleaner. Floor vacuum cleaner 12 isdesigned to aspirate fluids. Floor vacuum cleaner 12 includes a firstinterface 18, an energy input 22, a second interface 32, rollers 34, anda suction device (not shown further here) as well as a collectioncontainer. The suction device aspirates dirt into the collectioncontainer during operation. First interface 18 is designed to be lockedtogether with hand-held vacuum cleaner 14. Second interface 32 isdesigned to be locked together with tool box 30. Energy input 22 isdeveloped as a power cable, which is shown as coiled power cable in thefigures. Energy input 22 is designed to receive operating energy offloor vacuum cleaner 12 from a power supply and operating energy ofhand-held vacuum cleaner 14. When in operation, floor vacuum cleaner 12usually is sitting on rollers 34. First interface 18 has anenergy-transmission coil 20, which is provided to inductively transmitthe operating energy for hand-held vacuum cleaner 14 to hand-held vacuumcleaner 14.

Hand-held vacuum cleaner 14 includes an interface 26, an energy store28, a handle 36, a hand-held vacuum cleaner housing 38, and a suctiondevice (not shown here in greater detail) as well as a collectioncontainer. When vacuuming, an operator grabs handle 36 and liftshand-held vacuum cleaner 14 by handle 36. Hand-held vacuum cleanerhousing 38 encloses the suction device and the collection container. Ina ready-to-operate state, interface 26 affixes energy store 28 onhand-held vacuum cleaner housing 38 in a manner that allows it to bedetached by an operator. When hand-held vacuum cleaner 14 is inoperation, the interface transmits the operating energy from energystore 28 to the suction device. Energy store 28 is developed as alithium-based rechargeable battery. Energy store 28 includes anenergy-transmission coil 24. Energy-transmission coil 24 is developed toreceive the operating energy inductively during a charge operation ofenergy store 28.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a floor vacuum cleaner; anda hand-held vacuum cleaner; wherein the floor vacuum cleaner has aninterface configured to be coupled with the hand-held vacuum cleaner. 2.The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface is configured totransmit operating energy to the hand-held vacuum cleaner.
 3. The systemas recited in claim 2, wherein the interface includes anenergy-transmission coil configured to inductively transmit theoperating energy to the hand-held vacuum cleaner.
 4. The system asrecited in claim 3, wherein the floor vacuum cleaner has an energy inputconfigured to receive energy.
 5. The system as recited in claim 4,wherein the floor vacuum cleaner configured to aspirate a fluid.
 6. Thesystem as recited in claim 3, wherein the hand-held vacuum cleanerincludes an energy-transmission coil configured to receive operatingenergy inductively.
 7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein thehand-held vacuum cleaner includes an interface configured to beselectively coupled with an energy store of the hand-held vacuumcleaner.
 8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the energy storeof the hand-held vacuum cleaner includes the energy-transmission coil.